Hundreds of graves found unsafe and risk to public

Hundreds of gravestones in north Wales have been deemed unsafe and an injury risk to visitors.

About 700 memorials in Flintshire’s cemeteries are in need of remedial work, it has been revealed.

Those loose or unstable are currently supported by wooden stakes.

However, with each of these temporary fixes costing £5,850 every few years, a more permanent method has to be found, according to a report.

In addition to unsafe memorials, kerb sets which go around the perimeter of some graves are also falling into disrepair, resulting in potential trip hazards.

Flintshire council is responsible for the upkeep of approximately 20,000 gravestones or memorials of varying shapes and sizes, all of which are examined once every three years.

Where known, the owners of each grave - the families of those buried - are usually contacted and asked to do any necessary repairs.

But, due to a lack of records and surviving relatives, the number of plots in disrepair has increased.

This, along with the cost of temporary remedial measures, has seen councillors asked to approve an alternative, more long lasting method of maintenance.

The preferred option is to adopt the “digging in” method, where the memorial is removed from the head of the grave and a new hole freshly dug.

The hole is then refilled with soil, making the memorial stable again and keeping most of the inscription visible, if not all of it.

Members will also be asked to consider a proposal to address unsafe kerb stones by repositioning them within the structure of the grave.

Deputy council leader Dave Hughes said: “We appreciate that this is an emotive and sensitive subject for families and any work that is carried out will be done respectfully.

"As time goes on, more and more memorials will sadly fall into disrepair so we must adopt a new policy that allows us to keep our cemeteries safe and accessible to all.”

A decision will be made by the council cabinet in the coming weeks.